In December 2023, Special Counsel Jack Smith asked SCOTUS to grant cert before judgement to hear Trump’s immunity appeal.
The court rejected that request and didn’t issue its immunity decision until July 2024.
Trump’s federal cases never made it to trial before the November 2024 election.
The court rejected that request and didn’t issue its immunity decision until July 2024.
Trump’s federal cases never made it to trial before the November 2024 election.
Certiorari "before judgment" is how #SCOTUS takes up a full appeal *before* the intermediate federal courts have heard it.
It used to be exceedingly rare. For instance, there wasn't a *single* grant of such expedited review b/w August 2004 & February 2019.
This is the *23rd* such grant since then.
It used to be exceedingly rare. For instance, there wasn't a *single* grant of such expedited review b/w August 2004 & February 2019.
This is the *23rd* such grant since then.
September 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM